Folding umbrella.



PATENTED FEB. 19, 1907 W.` P. HARTNETT. FOLDING UMBRELLA. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1906.

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FOLDING UlVlBRELL/.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1907.

Application filed January 3,1906. Serial No. 294,398.

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Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. IIART- l NETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dover, in the county of Stratford, State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Umbrellas; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to umbrellas, and has for its object to provide certain new and useful improvements in the construction of umbrellas whereby the latter may be folded into compact form when not required for use. In this connection it is proposed toprovide i for folding the ribs and the umbrella-stick, so as to materiallyT reduce the length of the um j brella when folded.

Another object of the invention is to enable the convenient opening and closing of the umbrella without interference on the part of the foldable construction and to enable the ready folding of the umbrella without requiring any complicated disconnection of arts.

I/Vith these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view ofa foldable umbrella embodying the features of the present invention and shown in its open condition. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the umbrella folded. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of one of the foldable ribs.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each and every iigure of the drawings.

In carrying out the present invention I i employ an umbrella-stick made up of telescopically-connected sections of any suitable number--say, for instance, three, which have been designated A, B, and C in the drawings. Upon the top or outer section C l there is the usual notch l, and to this notch is pivotally connected a series of ribs, eachv l rib consisting of an inner section 2 and an outer section 3, the two sections having a hinged connection 4. The cover 5 is connected in any suitable manner to the rib-sections-as, for instance, by being sewed to rings or eyes 6 and 7, carried by the respective rib-sectionswhereby the cover will fold with the ribs when the outer sections 3 thereof are folded together and back against the inner sections 2, as indicated in Eig. 2 of the drawings. Upon each rib there is a sleeve or tubular slide S, which normally embraces the hinged connection between the rib-sections, so as to prevent breaking of the hinge, and thereby render the rib rigid.

Upon the stick there is the usual or any l preferred form of ruimer 9, from which radiate braces 10, each of the latter being pivotally connected to its corresponding slide 8,

Ewhereby the umbrella may be raised or opened in the usual manner by moving the runner toward the notch. The runner is provided with a pivotal latch 12, which works through a slot 13 in the runner so as to take into a seat or notch 14 in the lower portion'of the stick to hold the umbrella closed and also designed to take into a seat or notch l5 in the upper portion of the stick to hold the umbrella open.

To enable the folding of the ribs, it is of course necessary to remove the tubular slides or keepers S from the joints, and this is accomplished by means of the releasing-sleeve 16, which slidably embraces the stick below the runner and is capable of being slid upwardly past the runner and into frictional engagement with the braces l0, thereby to swing the latter inwardly against the stick, and thus slide the tubular keepers 8 upwardly upon the ribs and away from the hinged joints 4, after which the outer sections 3 of the ribs may be folded back against the inner sections, so as to fold the umbrella into compact form.

IOO

To prevent the ribs from'becoming enupon each inner runner-section .2 in position l to be engaged by the upper end of the adjacent keeper and having a sufficient tension to prevent accidental displacement of the keeper. However, the tension of the stops may be overcome by manipulation of the releasing-sleeve 16 so as to force the keepers away from the hinged joints when it is desired to fold the umbrella. T he upward slidable movements of the keepers 8 is limited by the notch l, so as to prevent the keepers from being forced through the cover of the umbrella. When the umbrella is folded, the telescopic stick-sections are of course forced into one another, and thereby the length of the umbrella is reduced to substantially onehalf of the length of one of the ribs.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the umbrella ofvthe'present invention is exceedingly simple and may be conveniently raised and lowered without liability of the umbrella becoming collapsedl by reason of its foldable construction, and at the same time it may be readily folded into compact form without requiring any complicated manipulation of parts.

What is claimed ish 1. In a foldable umbrella, the combination with a stick having a Inotch and a runner, of ribs pivoted to the notch and made up of hinged sections, slidable keepers embracing the hinged joints of the ribs, yieldable stops carried by the ribs in normal engagement with the keepers to prevent accidental upward displacement thereof, braces hinged to the runner and the respective keepers, and a sleeve slidably embracing the stick below the braces and capable of being moved upwardly into engagement with the latter to fold the braces inwardly toward the stick and move the keepers upwardly past the stops and out of engagement with the hinged joints of the ribs.

2. In a foldable umbrella, the combination with a stick having a notch and a runner, of ribs pivoted to the notch and made up of hinged sections, slidable keepers normally embracing the hinged joints of the ribs, braces pivoted to the runner and the respective keepers, a sleeve slidably embracing the stick below the braces and capable of being moved into engagement with the latter to fold the same toward the stick and move the keepers out of engagement with the hinged joints of the ribs, and brace-separating elements carried by and rising from the top of the runner and located between adjacent ribs.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM P. HARTNETT.

Witnesses:

ERNEST S. NEAL, H. JENNEss PAUL.

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